Chang Kong Chao, Chen Pei Ih, Huang Zen Hung, Lin Yung Ming, Kuo Pao Lin
Department of Pathology, National Chen Kung University Medical Center, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan, Taiwan 70428.
Cancer Genet Cytogenet. 2002 Apr 1;134(1):77-80. doi: 10.1016/s0165-4608(01)00592-1.
Adrenal myelolipoma (ML) is a rare, benign, nonfunctioning tumor-like lesion composed of mature adipose tissue interspersed with bone marrow-like hematopoietic elements in various proportions. It occurs usually in adults and is frequently asymptomatic in about half of cases. The histogenesis of adrenal ML is not clear and this lesion has been found to be associated with endocrine disorders, other adrenal dysfunction and tumors, and hyperstimulation with adrenocorticotropic hormone. Specific chromosomal abnormalities, however, have not been observed in such cases. Herein, we report a typical case of adrenal ML found incidentally in a 26-year-old man. Conventional cytogenetic techniques demonstrated balanced translocation between bands 3q25 and 21p11 in 9 of 20 metaphases analyzed in cultured tumor cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of adrenal ML showing chromosomal abnormality. This finding would indicate that adrenal ML is a bona fide neoplasm and the possibility of derivation from misplaced hematopoietic cells may be alternatively taken into consideration in view of the similar genetic changes in hematopolietic neoplasms.
肾上腺髓脂肪瘤（ML）是一种罕见的良性无功能肿瘤样病变，由成熟脂肪组织和不同比例的骨髓样造血成分交织而成。它通常发生于成年人，约半数病例常无明显症状。肾上腺ML的组织发生尚不清楚，已发现该病变与内分泌紊乱、其他肾上腺功能障碍及肿瘤以及促肾上腺皮质激素过度刺激有关。然而，此类病例未观察到特定的染色体异常。在此，我们报告一例26岁男性偶然发现的典型肾上腺ML病例。常规细胞遗传学技术显示，在培养的肿瘤细胞分析的20个中期相中，有9个出现3q25和21p11带之间的平衡易位。据我们所知，这是首例报道的显示染色体异常的肾上腺ML病例。这一发现表明肾上腺ML是一种真正的肿瘤，鉴于造血系统肿瘤中存在类似的基因变化，也可考虑其起源于错位造血细胞的可能性。
